Based on the popular Dark Horse comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo is coming to television in the form of an animated series from director James Wan, who’s currently in post-production on Aquaman and has previously directed Saw, Insidious, Furious 7, and the two Conjuring movies. Originally published in 1984, Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest-running comic book series of all time, and creator Stan Sakai recently took to Twitter to confirm that Wan would be moving forward with the series.

Yes, Usagi has been optioned for a TV series by Gaumont, the oldest film company in the world. Also involved is James Wan who created the Saw franchise and is director of the upcoming Aquaman movie.

Usagi Yojimbo is a comic book series created by Stan Sakai. It is set primarily at the beginning of the Edo period of Japanese history and features anthropomorphic animals replacing humans. The main character is a rabbit rōnin, Miyamoto Usagi, whom Sakai based partially on the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. Usagi wanders the land on a musha shugyō (warrior’s pilgrimage), occasionally selling his services as a bodyguard.

It’s unclear what role James Wan will serve, and it’s unlikely he’ll have the hands-on role of showrunner or writer. More likely, he’ll help the show get off the ground, lending his name and expertise to launch the series, and then taking a backseat once it’s established. Wan’s a busy guy with a lot of projects on his docket, so as much as I’d like to believe in a scenario where he’d be in the writers room every week, it’s unlikely. That said, he’ll definitely bring on some very talented writers and producers to stick with the show after he moves on to his next project. More importantly, will Sakai stay on as a writer and producer, and, if so, in what capacity?

According to a statement from Nicolas Atlan, President of Animation at Gaumont:

“Usagi Yojimbo has been much sought after for many years, and we are honored to work with Stan Sakai to translate his multi-generational stories into the first ever TV series.

“Usagi Yojimbo’s blend of history and mythology, clever balance between action and comedy, and real-world touchpoints combined with the supernatural, together with the passionate fan base that Stan has already amassed, makes this an incredibly exciting property to develop with our partners Atomic Monster and Dark Horse Entertainment.”

Usagi has previously appeared on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series and enjoys frequent team-ups with his fellow anthropomorphic ninjas.

We don’t know much else about Usagi Yojimbo yet, but check back soon for more updates on the upcoming animated series!

James Wan is Developing an Animated Usagi Yojimbo Series

This sounds like a great idea for a new series, provided they don't go full TMNT on the animation.

Based on the popular Dark Horse comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo is coming to television in the form of an animated series from director James Wan, who’s currently in post-production on Aquaman and has previously directed Saw, Insidious, Furious 7, and the two Conjuring movies. Originally published in 1984, Usagi Yojimbo is one of the longest-running comic book series of all time, and creator Stan Sakai recently took to Twitter to confirm that Wan would be moving forward with the series.

Yes, Usagi has been optioned for a TV series by Gaumont, the oldest film company in the world. Also involved is James Wan who created the Saw franchise and is director of the upcoming Aquaman movie.

Usagi Yojimbo is a comic book series created by Stan Sakai. It is set primarily at the beginning of the Edo period of Japanese history and features anthropomorphic animals replacing humans. The main character is a rabbit rōnin, Miyamoto Usagi, whom Sakai based partially on the famous swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. Usagi wanders the land on a musha shugyō (warrior’s pilgrimage), occasionally selling his services as a bodyguard.

It’s unclear what role James Wan will serve, and it’s unlikely he’ll have the hands-on role of showrunner or writer. More likely, he’ll help the show get off the ground, lending his name and expertise to launch the series, and then taking a backseat once it’s established. Wan’s a busy guy with a lot of projects on his docket, so as much as I’d like to believe in a scenario where he’d be in the writers room every week, it’s unlikely. That said, he’ll definitely bring on some very talented writers and producers to stick with the show after he moves on to his next project. More importantly, will Sakai stay on as a writer and producer, and, if so, in what capacity?

According to a statement from Nicolas Atlan, President of Animation at Gaumont:

“Usagi Yojimbo has been much sought after for many years, and we are honored to work with Stan Sakai to translate his multi-generational stories into the first ever TV series.

“Usagi Yojimbo’s blend of history and mythology, clever balance between action and comedy, and real-world touchpoints combined with the supernatural, together with the passionate fan base that Stan has already amassed, makes this an incredibly exciting property to develop with our partners Atomic Monster and Dark Horse Entertainment.”

Usagi has previously appeared on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series and enjoys frequent team-ups with his fellow anthropomorphic ninjas.

We don’t know much else about Usagi Yojimbo yet, but check back soon for more updates on the upcoming animated series!